A Vegan Tailgate Blog

Category: field roast

They said it couldn’t be done. No, not the Browns winning their 2nd to last game of the year, avoiding an abysmal 0-16 season. They said making hand-dipped corn dogs at the tailgate with only a grill was next to impossible. I’m here to say it is not. Quite the opposite, this recipe is simple and can be replicated anywhere.

Image: Fox8.com

What you’ll need is a couple packs of Field Roast Frankfurters (no other brand will do), some bamboo sticks, non-stick foil and the prepared cornmeal batter from below. Put the dogs on a stick and grill. Then dip in the batter and wrap carefully, tight around the ends but loose in the middle to allow for expansion. Be generous when dipping and coat the entirety of the dog. Watch in amazement as you unwrap the foil to a perfectly encrusted corn dog. No deep frying required! Enjoy!

Directions

The day before, mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, spices, pepper, ener-g-egg replacer, non-dairy milk and sugar together in a medium bowl. Slowly add additional non-dairy milk until the mixture is wet and can be worked with. However, be careful it’s not too soupy or dry and doughy.

At the tailgate, skewer each dog with the wooden stick. Grill until brown with nice grill marks.

Dip each tofu dog into the cornmeal mixture, making sure its evenly coated.

Place the coated dog on a piece of non-stick foil. Place it off to one side and not in the center. Fold the closest side of the foil over the dog. From there, roll the dog until it’s completely wrapped in foil (not too tight). Twist the ends in opposite directions to seal.

Grill again, for about 5-7 turning once. The goal is to have the batter steam up around the dog.

Part of me wishes I had tried poutine before taking the vegan plunge 4 years ago. Then again, the amalgamation of deep fried potatoes, brown gravy and cheese curds probably wouldn’t have sat well with me. I didn’t even know what poutine was until my little brother made several trips north of the border and came back raving about it. Since I had been thinking about veganizing the Canadian specialty for a while, a vegan Super Bowl party in Akron seemed like a perfect time.

What makes this poutine different from all other poutine? Well aside from the fact it’s vegan, made with Field Roast Chao cheese and Vegan Sausage Gravy (see recipe below), it is also a special type of French fry known only to Akronites and Summit County Ohio dwellers as Jo Jo potatoes. Ok, the potato wedge isn’t exactly unique to Akron, Ohio, but I can almost guarantee you that Jo Jo Potatoes have never made their way into vegan poutine before this. And now it’s time to share with the world.

The recipe is not hard to put together. To mimic the deep fried, egg covered Jo Jo’s found in pizza and chicken shops in my hometown, I parboiled potato wedges and coated them in cornstarch, spices and a little olive oil before roasting them. The result is a crispy outside and a moist steamy inside. The poutine is assembled in separate bowls topped with the savory sausage gravy and a sprinkle of fresh sage. You can serve as an app, side or main dish. Enjoy!

Directions

Jo Jo’s: Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes and cut them, lengthwise, into 10 to 12 even wedges.Place the sliced potatoes into a large bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 10 minutes (aka parboil).Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry thoroughly with a clean tea towel or paper towels. Evenly toss the potatoes with the cornstarch, than add the oil, salt and pepper.Arrange the fries in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and flip them. Continue to bake until the fries are golden and crisp, about another 20 minutes longer. In the last 5 minutes, remove the pans and add the cheese on top. Allow to melt before removing. Time serving so these are hot!Sausage Gravy: Heat a skillet over a medium flame. Add the onions and cook for three minutes, until starting to soften. Add the crumbled sausage and cook for five minutes, until starting to brown. Add the flour and stir well. After two minutes, add the remaining ingredients, whisking well to combine. It will thicken and be ready rather quickly. To serve: Place fries in a bowl or on a plate and sprinkle with cheese. While still warm, pour gravy over fries and cheese. Top with fresh sage and enjoy!

My friends at Field Roast have outdone themselves with a new commercial that parodies the Arby’s meat commercials, some of which had poked fun at us vegans for eating “twig and berry sandwiches.” Clearly, the folks at the fast food chain have never had any Field Roast products or visited this blog! The Field Roast rebuttal shows a massive 4 patty burger and an extra sloppy chili dog while touting the juicy vegan meats “meant for football and tailgating.”

I hated those Arby’s commercials and am glad Field Roast came up with something better. Their products are fantastic and I can’ wait to visit them this fall when the Browns play in Seattle. In the meantime, pick up some Field Roast for your Super Bowl party and you won’t be disappointed. Remember, we are VEGAN MEATS!!

When news broke yesterday of Stanford Professor Patrick Brown’s company Impossible Foods, my jaw hit the floor. It wasn’t just the appearance of a burger nearly indistinguishable from one made from cows that shocked me (although clearly I need to get my hands on this product ASAP, even if it currently costs $20/patty), rather it was the amount of money invested in the company. $75 million to make the perfect veggie burger and other plant based foods. That’s right, $75,000,000.00.

Look at the Burger!

These start up companies are raising serious change. Look at the innovative Hampton Creek, which makes the now ubiquitous Beyond Mayo, Just Cookies and soon a vegan egg. Is it a perfect storm? While vegan is becoming more mainstream (there is even a vegan tailgate blog!), high profile investors see something more. They see the harmful effects animal based foods have on our bodies, the rising cost of healthcare and individuals contributing greater amounts to pay for their insurance. They see the damage animal based food does to the environment. Mr. Brown is quoted as saying “livestock is an antiquated technology.” The current system just isn’t sustainable and that means people’s taste buds are up for grabs.

We aren’t talking about merely creating new vegetables (like crossing a brussel sprout with kale). This is some cutting edge science. Impossible Food’s “bloody” burger contains heme, a molecule found in hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells. This molecule also is found in the roots of legumes or nitrogen-fixed plants such as alfalfa or peanuts. The result is what looks like a burger you’d get at a bar in middle America, one that has never served anything vegan.

Miyoko’s Cheese

Is this a sign of things to come? Not all people are fond of replacing animal products with a copy cat substitute and insist we should simply “eat more vegetables.” To be frank, this is not a winning argument. The American palate craves something more and the investors in Impossible Food, Hampton Creek and other are betting they have that something. While, the trillion dollar animal farming industry won’t go down without a fight, we are headed in the right direction.

My First Vegan Meal

This isn’t 2010 when this UN report from 2010 said, “Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products. Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products.” Well, UN, I’d challenge you to try some of the foods mentioned in this article and tell me there aren’t alternatives. We have come a long way in the past few years. I remember my first meal as a vegan like it was yesterday: kidney beans, brown rice and kale. Nothing fancy and not that tasty. Some people need a little extra push.

Beyond Meat Pulled BBQ Chicken Sammies

And this is where we come in. Yes, the readers of Hold the Pigskin and countless other vegans have to put on their Sunday best and show the world vegan food is downright amazing. It won’t be that hard with the help of innovative companies making awesome plant based foods. You know I am a huge fan of Field Roast, the artisan grain meat company in Seattle. Beyond Meat makes some awesome chicken strips and beef crumbles. Miyoko’s Kitchen has hand crafted cheeses fit for the finest wine and cheese party. These folks and others are pushing the envelope and delighting our taste buds. Who wouldn’t want a seat at this table?

It’s been too long! I’ve neglected posting but have been blogging over at Field Roast and Fresh Fork. I figured, why not share those awesome recipes over here! Football season is coming up soon so it’s time to get thinking about what to cook. Enjoy!

The first step to stuffing cabbage is steaming the head and peeling off the leaves one by one. Fill the leaves with flavorful mixture or vegan sausage, brown rice, onions, garlic and spices. Meanwhile, whip up a creamy, spicy tomato sauce. Once the sauce is done and a cabbages are rolled, let simmer and prepare to be amazed!

Sauce

4 large tomatoes, diced or 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

6 oz. can of Tomato Paste

1 cup Vegetable Broth

1 Small Onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic

2 cups greens, chopped

1/4 cups basil, chopped and packed

1 cup raw cashews

3 chipotle chiles, seeded and washed (optional)

¾ cup water

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large sautee pan, sautee the diced onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for a minute more.

Add the diced tomatoes with liquid, the vegetable stock and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the cashews, water and chipotle peppers to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. (Tip: if you soak the cashews overnight it helps blend. Also feel free to use soy creamer instead!)

Add the greens, basil and blended chipotle cashew cream and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Cabbage Rolls

1 medium cabbage, cored

4 chipotle field roast or your favorite vegan sausage, crumbled

2 cups cooked brown rice

½ cup minced onion

1/2 cup sauce, reserved

Italian seasonings, to taste

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

Partially boil the head of cabbage just enough until you can gently peel away each layer. The leaves should be pliable but intact. Drain on a paper or kitchen towel. Repeat until the whole cabbage is done.

Mix together all ingredients for the rolls. Place in the center, not too much so you can’t roll!

Roll like a burrito. If necessary, you can use a toothpick to hold them together. Repeat.

Place all of the finished rolls into a large sauce pot.

Add all of the sauce to cover. If needed, you can add some additional vegetable broth or water.

Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour until sauce is bubbling, cabbage leaves are more translucent and filling is hot inside.

Serve hot alongside green beans and maybe with a dallop of guac on top!

Cleveland’s vegan scene is burgeoning in a big way and Rosen decided to give it a twist: tailgating. Rosen’s blog offers local sports quips side-by-side with vegan tailgating recipes, along with an active Twitter and Instagram presence. Veggie sausage maker Field Roast loved the idea so much they’ve asked him to become a regular contributor to their national blog.

How did you get started?

Like any diehard Browns fan, you’re down there in the Muni lot and there’s not a lot of room for vegan anything. I wanted to do something that showcased vegan tailgate food and really pushed the envelope and encourage the spread of vegan tailgates in other cities.

Hopefully the exposure wil encourage a few more plant-based eaters to join the tailgate… or start their own! Who said eating grain meat isn’t manly?

The offseason continues and the Grill Master is just heating up. The posts are flying over at the Cooks in the Field page on the Field Roast blog. My latest is a divine grilled vegan pierogie stuffed with sausage, mushrooms, onions and daiya cheese and topped with chived cashew sour cream.

Pierogies are a staple of the large Polish community in Cleveland. Pierogies are traditionally stuffed with potatoes and cheese, boiled and then fried. I figured, why not grill the filling, stuff, boil and then throw them on the grill instead? This recipe calls for grilled Italian Field Roast, onions and mushrooms. Vegan cheese is optional, but adds great texture and creaminess. Top it off with some chived cashew sour cream and prepare to be amazed. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Filling:

1 package Italian Field Roast sausages

2 large onions, quartered

8 oz. mushrooms, halved

Shredded vegan cheese (optional)

Dough:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup water, plus 3 tablespoons

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. ground flax seed

Glaze:

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

Chived Cashew Sour Cream:

1 ½ cups cashews, soaked and drained

½ cup water

¼ cup lemon juice

½ tsp salt

1 bunch fresh chives, chopped

Preparation instructions

Grill the Field Roast sausages on an oiled grill grate. Rotate until all sides are charred

At the same time, grilled the onions and mushrooms in a grill pan until charred. The onions will take a little longer than the mushrooms

Once cooled, chop into small pieces and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough. In a large bowl combine flour, 1 cup of water and salt. Warm the remained 3 tablespoons of water and mix with the flax. Add to the bowl and knead.

Roll out the dough until very thin (should be about ¼ inch thick). Using 4-inch cookie cutter (or a martini glass) cut out circles of dough.

Meanwhile, prepare a lot pot of boiling water

Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of a dough circle. Top with a sprinkle of vegan cheese (optional).

Fold in half and pinch closed. Use little water on your fingertips if they don’t stick. Repeat. (Style points: take a fork and press into the edges for a nice design!)

Drop a few of the folded and sealed pierogies into the boiling water. Don’t crowd the pot. Boil for 5 minutes or until they begin to float. Remove from the boiling water with slotted spoon. Repeat.

Brush the mustard/vinegar glaze on and place on the grill. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes. Keep moist!

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the sour cream except the chives in a blender. Blend until smooth. Fold in chives.

Serve the grilled pierogies with a dollop of the chive cashew sour cream and your favorite hot sauce.